Decided to make my own vanilla extract. That’s what Martha Stewart would do, no? Yes. The answer is yes.
I did not do this because I want to be Martha. Although I want to be a guest on her show and make pie with her while she interviews me about my acting escapades.
I made this partially to use a vanilla bean before it got old, and partially because the generic artificial vanilla I’d been using sort of sucked.
This is simple. One bean is halved, scraped, and added to a jar. All of it, pod and scrapings. Heat up some vodka and pour over bean. Vodka and beans. Yum yum. Put a lid on it. Shake every day for a week. Here is the extract day one:
And day seven:
And the finished product, jarred(in the bottle the bean came in-I don’t like to waste):
Thoroughly worth working up a sweat for. Plus it looks like a weird science experiment on your kitchen counter. I felt the need to explain it to anyone who came over that week lest they think I was keeping dirty twigs in jars. THAT would be special.
What is the most interesting kitchen experiment you have ever made? Inquiring mind of Ellen wants to know.
Scrumptious Gruel 
I’ve always sort of wanted to try this…very cool! I love the science experiment aspect. Another kitchen experiment I want to try but haven’t is to preserve lemons.
Ooh, good one. One of these days I’ll have to try.
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I am currently using vanilla extract that I made in exactly this way. Congrats!
I was just at Whole Foods buying spices yesterday and asked myself, “what in the world would I do with vanilla beans…”
Now I know!
The REAL question is – Whatchoo gonna make with it?
Hmmmm, vanilla adds that soupcon of deliciousness to almost everything!
I am suitably impressed! I can barely get myself to the store to buy vanilla so really, you’ve surpassed all of my expectations! 🙂
Thank you! Hehe, the way my life is going these days if it were a more involved process than picking up a jar and shaking it once a day, I doubt I’d have been up to the task:)
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